Mauled by stray dogs, 10-year-old succumbs

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 15

A 10-year-old girl, who was mauled by stray dogs in Bhindi Saida village in Ajnala a fortnight ago, succumbed to her injuries at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here yesterday.

Puja (10) was attacked by a pack of stray dogs when she along with her cousin Nanak Singh (8) and other children was going to Government Primary School in the village. Nanak Singh, too, was attacked brutally by the ferocious dogs.

Deceased’s grandfather Santokh Singh said the family took her to several hospitals before she was referred to the GNDH. The doctors attending her said the girl might have been bitten by some rabid dog.

“Stray dog menace has assumed alarming proportions in the village. People fear to come out of their houses in the evening,” said Jarnail Singh, another resident of the village. The number of stray dogs has increased manifold.

Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala, president, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, said the authorities concerned had failed to take appropriate measures to sterilise stray dogs. “The entire state is affected by the menace of canines. It is unfortunate that such issues figure at the bottom of the priority list of the successive governments while people are left to suffer and die,” he said.

Due to the presence of ‘hadda roris’ (carcasses dumping grounds) in villages, strays dogs become ferocious.

Last year, a four-year-old child was killed by stray dogs in Kaironwal village while a five-year-old boy was mauled in another incident in Sarhali Kalan village in Tarn Taran. Around two years ago, a 3-year-old boy, Angadbir, was killed by stray dogs in Harar Khurd village.

An official of the Animal Husbandry Department, who didn’t wish to be named, said the successive governments had failed to issue adequate funds required for the sterilisation of stray dogs. The Municipal Corporation (MC) in the past has initiated programmes but failed due to non-availability of funds. In rural belts, village panchayats can allocate funds for the same, he added.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said the matter would be taken up with the state government for allocation of adequate funds for sterilisation of stray dogs.

Similar incidents

• Last year, a four-year-old child was killed by stray dogs in Kaironwal village. 
• A five-year-old boy was mauled in Sarhali Kalan village in Tarn Taran recently. 
• Around two years ago, a three-year-old boy, Angadbir, was killed by stray dogs in Harar Khurd village.